NIGHTINGALE. 727 



PHILOMELA LUSCINIA. THE NIGHTINGALE. 

 Vol. II, p. 321. 



" It is firmly asserted by several naturalists," says Mr Weir, 

 " that the northern boundary of the Nightingale is in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Doncaster in Yorkshire, as no well authenticated 

 instances have been adduced of its appearance beyond that town. 

 Yet Captain Hamilton Dundas assured me, that whilst riding 

 home from Edinburgh to Duddingston House, one morning in 

 June 1839, he heard one of these delightful birds pouring forth 

 his melodious strains in the neighbourhood of Dalmeny Park, 

 the residence of the Earl of Rosebery. He said he could not 

 have been mistaken, having had frequent opportunities of hear- 

 ing them in France, Germany, and England." 



SYLVIA ATRICAPILLA. THE BLACK-CAPPED 

 WARBLER, OR BLACKCAP. Vol. II, p. 339. 



I have received from Mr Weir the following notice respect- 

 ing this bird : — " On the morning and forenoon, and part of 

 the afternoon of Tuesday the 25th of June 1839, the thermo- 

 meter 62° in the shade, in the shrubbery near Polkemmet 

 House, Parish of Whitburn, Linlithgowshire, I listened with 

 pleasure to the music of this charming warbler of the grove. 

 As the foliage of the trees was greatly injured by the severe 

 frost that had taken place on the 14th and loth of the previous 

 month, I had a favourable opportunity of observing his habits. 

 Between seven and nine o'clock ho sang almost incessantly. 

 After having been silent for two hours he again commenced, 

 and continued his song for a considerable time. From the top 

 of a tree he sometimes poured forth his delightfully melodious 

 strains, at other times from the middle of a shrub. When 

 singing, the feathers upon the crown of his head were gene- 

 rally erected, and his throat considerably inflated. He was 

 uncommonly lively, and in constant motion, flitting from branch 

 to branch with the greatest activity in pursuit of flies. He 



